A 30-year-old Chinese woman drowned after she dived deep to retrieve a camera that had accidentally fallen into the sea in Indonesia. According to the South China Morning Post (SCMP), Zhang Xiaohan was said to be an experienced diver with a professional scuba diving qualification. She was on a tour near Kakaban Island in East Kalimantan with 12 guests and 3 guides when the incident took place. She was found dead on May 3 at a depth of 87 meters at the Kelapa Dua Dive.
According to SCMP, Ms Xiaohan went scuba diving to admire the corals and marine life. However, her GoPro camera she was using slipped from her hands as she was ascending almost eight metres through the waters. Then the 30-year-old reportedly defied her tour guide's warnings and plunged back into the sea to retrieve the gadget.
After Ms Xiaohan did not reappear, guides dived to look for her, but failed to find her. They waited for several minutes for the woman to reappear before they reported her missing.
Rescue teams, the local marine search agency Basarnas and soldiers were dispatched to comb the sea around Kakaban Island. Eventually, Ms Xiaohan's body was found 88 metres below the surface, near the popular Kelapa Dua diving route on May 3. She was taken to the hospital for a post-mortem. Officials believe that a strong undercurrent might have swept away Ms Xiaohan. An investigation is ongoing.
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Ms Xiaohan's death has caused much sadness and discussion on Chinese social media. According to some people online, the 30-year-old was an experienced diver with a Divemaster certification.
Reacting to the tragic news, one user wrote, "It is usually the case that more professional divers tend to underestimate the power of nature."
A relative shared that Ms Xiaohan's family in Zhejiang, China, are heartbroken.
Some social media users also stressed that life is more valuable than any camera and advised never diving deep alone. "No camera or footage is as important as your life," one user said.
"A tip for all divers, never go deep into the sea without company," commented another.
